"That's clever stroke number two," thought the squire, as he rode homeward. "I think I have thoroughly disarmed suspicion now."
CHAPTER X.
THE MISSING SLEEVE BUTTON.
Squire Bates was as good as his word. He drew up a subscription paper, and headed it with a subscription of fifty dollars, and went through the village with it. At the end of three days he came again to Adin Dunham's plain home, and handed Mrs. Dunham a hundred and fifty dollars.
"It won't make up your husband's loss," he said, "but it is better than nothing. I wish I could afford to give more myself."
"How kind you are, Squire Bates!" said Mrs. Dunham, weeping softly. "God has indeed raised up a friend for us in our time of trouble."
"Don't make too much of my poor service, Mrs. Dunham," said the squire modestly. "It is a great deal easier for me to give fifty dollars than for your husband to lose a thousand."
"True; but you are very kind, all the same."
When Mrs. Dunham told Adin what the squire had done, he kept silence for a moment, and was obviously perplexed.